Category: News

Included in our February 2^nd sale are books from the collection of barrister and former Wallaby, Peter Crittle AO.

Peter played 15 Tests for Australia between 1962 and 1967 and from 1993-99 was president of the New South Wales Rugby Union. He had been vice-president of the Australian Rugby Union since 1994. He was elected president of the Australian Rugby Union in 2001 and served in that role until 2005 when he stood down at the end of his term. In the same year he was awarded the Vernon Pugh Award for distinguished service at the annual International Rugby Board Awards ceremony in Paris. In 2004 Peter was honoured as an officer of the Order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List. Besides his time as a player and administrator, Crittle is also well known as an avid Rugby historian and also provided support to members of the Forbes Rugby Club following the Bali bombings in 2002.

Within Peter’s book collection is a variety of material that reflected his interests outside of Rugby. This includes a large selection of titles relating to African exploration. Many are first editions and in lovely bindings. There are books from the estate of Dorothea Mackellar, containing her bookplate, as well as antiquarian titles, Australiana, beautiful old atlases and fine bindings.

At our Auction on the 2 February there is a large selection of books from the vast military collection of the late Major General Gordon Lindsay Maitland AO, OBE, RFD,ED. (1926-2018)

Major General Maitland was the last senior officer who had seen service in the Second World War. Maitland enlisted in the 2^nd AIF on his 18^th birthday and after completion of his recruit training was transferred to the Intelligence Unit and trained in the Japanese language. Following service in Timor Force where he was charged with locating and questioning possible war criminals he was appointed as a Lead Interpreter at the War Crimes Trials in Darwin.

Maitland returned to civilian life and his career in the Commonwealth Bank where he rose to become Chief Manager. He then went on to serve as CEO of the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW. His success in his civilian career was matched with an equally successful career in the Army Reserve where his highest achievement was to be appointed Chief of the Army Reserve. Maitland was the only soldier to have enlisted as a private in the 2^nd AIF and rise to the rank of Major General.

Maitland was very proud of his Scottish heritage and was appointed Chief of Clan Maitland in Australia.

In retirement, Maitland became a respected and renowned author and documenter of military history, researching and writing, resulting in the publication the following books:

• “The Second World War and its Australian Army Battle Honours”
• “The Battle History of the Royal NSW Regiment” in two volumes
• “Tales of Valour”
• “Honours and Awards”
• “The Story of Australia’s Flags”

Major General Maitland was a strong supporter of the veteran community, being heavily involved in the RSL, Sydney Legacy, the Royal United Services Institute and was a founding member of the Battle for Australia Committee and the Family and Friends of the First AIF. He served proudly as an Ambassador on the NSW Centenary of Anzac Advisory Council and was instrumental in establishing the Sydney Anzac Day Dawn Service Trust. Many people were also educated and entertained when he led tours of the Great War battlefields of Northern France and Flanders.

The books in this collection were used as resource material and formed the basis of much of his research. In addition to his military Interests, Major General Maitland was an avid reader, enjoying the classics, poetry, art and the odd mystery.